


Forgiveness

by Swim2520



Series: 2020 Ace/Nancy Fall Drabblefest [13]
Category: Nancy Drew (TV 2019)
Genre: Ace/Nancy Fall Drabblefest 2020, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:22:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27074176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Swim2520/pseuds/Swim2520
Summary: Nancy talks to Ace about her recent traumas. He encourages her to make up with Carson.
Relationships: Ace/Nancy Drew
Series: 2020 Ace/Nancy Fall Drabblefest [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1944706
Comments: 1
Kudos: 23





	Forgiveness

"Hey, Ace, can we talk?” Nancy asked, wringing her hands together nervously. She had not forgotten about the promise that she made to Ace weeks ago and finally felt ready to fulfill that promise. 

“Of course,” he replied. They were alone in the main dining area of the Claw. Bess was off doing Marvin family things while George and Nick were doing owner things. That left Ace and Nancy to complete inventory together. 

It had been about a month since Ace had offered to listen to Nancy when she finally found the words to describe how she felt about all the things that life had thrown at her lately. She knew that most people would have forgotten about that conversation, but Nancy knew better. Ace had a very good memory, no matter how much he pretended otherwise. The first edition copy of _All the President’s Men_ sitting on her bookshelf at home was a perfect example of that. 

He had given her the time and space to find the words and now it was time for her to share them. 

“I’m still angry at my fath- _Carson._ ”

“Understandable,” Ace replied. 

“I _get_ why he and Kate didn’t tell people the truth about my parentage. The Hudsons made threats to kill me before I was even born. I just don’t understand why they never told _me.”_

After much time and reflection, Nancy had realized that she wasn’t hurt by the truth of her parentage. She was more hurt by the fact that Carson and Kate-her parents (because even after all the lies Nancy couldn’t help but think of them as her _parents_ ) kept the truth from her for so long. 

“Kate told me all the time that I should search for the truth, even when it hurts.”

“You were never an ordinary child, Nancy. I’m sure that she-that they _both_ -realized you would find out the truth one day and were trying prepare you for it. Try to see it from their point of view. They took you in because of a promise they made, but they fell in love. You became their daughter in every way but blood. Maybe they were wrong to keep it from you, but they just wanted the illusion to continue for as long as it could.”

“And they raised me when they didn’t have to...” Nancy said quietly. She heard rather than saw Ace nod in agreement with what she said. 

The Drews had taken in an hour-old baby as their own, completely unprepared for such a task, and uprooted their lives a day later to protect her origins. They were there for every bruise, cut, sickness, birthday, and sleepover. They did everything that parents did, even though they didn’t have to. 

“I’m still angry,” Nancy said. “But I think I understand why they kept it from me now.”

“You should tell him that when you’re ready.”

“I will. Thank you, Ace.”

As soon as she got a break from inventory, Nancy pulled out her cell phone and sent a message to her father for the first time in weeks. _Can we get dinner tonight and talk?_

There was no way that their relationship would be fixed overnight, but they had to start somewhere. 


End file.
